Episode 160 - Attachment To What Is Non-virtuous

<p dir="ltr">Buddha said, “with effort, we have all attainments.” We can achieve any goal, no matter how lofty, with enough continued effort, even becoming a bodhisattva and attaining enlightenment. So why do such noble goals seem so hard to achieve? Because there are obstacles to effort, and, often, they playa do,I aTM role in our life. </p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The three main obstacles to effort are as follows:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Procrastination </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Discouragement </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Attachment to what is meaningless or non-virtuous </p> </li> </ul> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">It is said that if you have one of these obstacles, you have all three. In this episode, we look at attachment to what is meaningless or non-virtuous, and how it keeps us from putting energy into what is most important to us. The weekly mindfulness practice that follows is to watch our mind and see how attachment is functioning to impede the attainment of important goals and investing effort into what we value most.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The Story of Culadhanuggaha, speaks of attachment impeding one young monk’s goals to keeping his vows.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">“While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (349) and (350) of this book, with reference to a young bhikkhu, who was a skilful archer in one of his previous existences.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Once a young bhikkhu took his alms-food in one of the shelters specially built for bhikkhus in town. After his meal he felt like drinking water. So he went to a house and asked for some drinking water, and a young woman came out to give him some water. As soon as this young woman saw the young bhikkhu she fell in love with him. Wishing to entice him, she invited the young bhikkhu to come to her house whenev